Travelling to family with your young kids

For those of us who live away from where we grew up, visiting family back “home” with your children is a wonderful thing. All of you get to experience new things, while your extended family get to see a sneak peak into your daily life. It can be crazy tiring though, because often your partner isn’t making the trip with you.

Help at hand?

Your family will want to help out though, but you’ll find yourself the go to person for everything from lunches to bath-time schedules. For those who live quite a distance from family, you have all the packing and organising to do beforehand and generally can’t rest during the trip because you may be sleeping with one eye open or catering to various needs.

On the other hand, you may have to completely relinquish all control over your little ones to someone who “knows best” and thinks you need a break. In all these scenarios, just be honest. You have the right to let people know how you wish your children to be tended to – especially when you are a new mum with your first children.

Getting to know the extended family

I love this blog post, it has some great ideas. I love the ‘family book’ idea – a book with pictures of the people you are taking your children to visit – worth a read http://www.ahaparenting.com/ask-the-doctor-1/visiting-family-at-holidays. For toddlers, it could be lots of fun to have a little photo album to look at while they are travelling. Maybe use a little masking tape below each picture and write the name of the family member.

Recently, my whole extended family got together and my children got to be part of their group of 13 cousins for the first time ever. (It made for an absolutely beautiful photo to see all the ‘kids’ aged from 6 to 34). Even though we spend a lot of time talking about Aunty’s and Uncles etc, one of the cousins wrote down all the names for my kids and who was part of who’s family. They were amazed. A partner thought it was quite cute when our youngest asked him “are you a cousin too?” They were able to check their list.

Making the journey

For me, travelling with babies was fun. I saw it as a great chance just to sit and cuddle – before they need solids its fairly simple. It can be difficult to comfort them sometimes though, that seatbelt sign can come on when you and your child dont want it. I found humming their favourite tune in their ear or busily turing pages of a favourite book is a good distraction. It is always a good idea to take any medications with you though, in case of any illness or discomfort. (Certainly have them in your suitcase – you don’t want to get to your destination sick and needing to hit the shops – ‘normal’ people don’t keep Children’s Panadol in their medicine cabinet)!

Toddlers are a different kettle of fish, as they are happy to let you and everyone else know when they aren’t happy. I try and stick to a program of food and various activities from drawing, to cards, to viewing movies.

Older than this they are happy to find an activity for themselves and will often assist if you have younger ones with you.

At all ages I would suggest letting them pick a favourite thing to carry, generally teddies travel with us on car and plane trips. Longer trips you may like to swap for something smaller or something with a toggle you can attach to a backpack. Have you seen our kimochis range)?

Once you are there

I generally arrive at my destination quite tired. Luckily we are generally picked up from the airport. Enthusiastic Aunty’s normally have various snacks and suprises ready in the car. After collecting our bags we normally head for the toilets. I try and pick a ‘family’ room, something like a changing room etc is ideal. I like this as I can keep track on each of the kids and while a nappy is being changed, someone can be on the toilet or washing hands etc. If you have to go into a cubicle, I have in the past made the kids stand right in front of the door and insist that I have to be able to see their their feet. I insist they not move from there. I have also learnt that with some kids, even if they say they don’t need to go, THEY DO and if you leave the toilets you’ll have to go back (no doubt you already know if you have one of these always busy types).

Routine suits the littlies

We try and stick to routine when we’re away and make the first one an early night if we can. Normally my kids have a bit of trouble getting to bed the first night or 2. They also share rooms when we’re away, so the older they get the more exciting this is. At toddler age (our 3 kids were born within 2.5 years) one liked a night light, while another didn’t, so sharing a room was a tad problematic (hence Little Gulliver stock the swivel night light ;).

And remember

I think the main thing is to just enjoy yourself and try to keep it about your family. I remember being appalled (when my kids were barely on solids), a well meaning distant relo presented them with a Giant Freddo each! ‘Thanks’, as you quickly put it away for years and years later. Also, you may want to really catch up with your loved ones, but once the kids are on the scene it may be a little different. While you may have found you could never finish a sentence at mothers group, it will be the same when you catch up with your mum and dad. Always try and cover the important issues when you can, particularly when you get to catch up with older family members. Photos…photos…photos…

The warm and fuzzy bit

Most of all, no-one will know much effort and how hard it is for you to make the visit – so just enjoy and be pleased that you are there. It will pay off for your children, as they grow, with regular visits. They will form some beautiful relationships and have precious memories. I’ve done this for my children and if you are like me, you will enjoy this post; 16 things only people who live away from their families will understand.

Make the effort when they are young, believe me – it does get easier. Happy travels!

Donna

Top Ten Tips for taking the Kids to stay with your Parents

Those of us who live away from our parents often just don’t get to see them enough, particularly if your parents are older or ill and aren’t able to travel themselves. Once the kids come along, seeing your family can become all the more important. Unfortunately, at the same time, the travel to see them can become more complicated.

When this happens you may also find your family totally unprepared for the joy of pitter patter’s in their own home. In this situation it can pay to do some planning beforehand to ensure everyone is comfortable during your visit. Here’s some light-hearted tips and some thoughts from my own experiences to help get you on your way;

1. If travelling as a solo parent, have someone drop you off and pick you up if you can; having a helping hand at either end can be helpful while you are navigating toilet stops and luggage.

2. Discuss where the kids will be sleeping beforehand, with both your parents and the kids (if they are old enough). What your family have planned for you might be different to your preference. For instance, would you prefer the kids slept with you or you had a cot in or out of your bedroom? Kids sharing a room? Often its easier to have this sorted out before you get there.

3. Don’t be afraid to send a shopping list on to your folks, just a general list of any nappies, fruit, veg and cereals you and the kids like. grandparents Your folks may be unsure what to get and will be happy to have an idea of things you like. It will make it easier than having to get out to the shops once you get there. Don’t forget to mention some treats too!

4. Discuss visitors. No doubt, if you don’t get home much everyone will want to catch up with you and the kids. See if you can limit the visitors or organise a weekend lunch or something with an open invite – otherwise you may find you’ll have visitors everyday. This can get hectic and you may not get to spend time with the ones you love most.

5. Try for an early night the first night. You may find you have slept with one eye open throughout your journey and need some catch up sleep. Also, don’t forget to take a book, you may find you cant sleep at all or are going to bed a bit earlier (maybe with the kids) so may get more reading done than usual.

6. If things get hectic and the kids are unsettled, don’t hesitate to put on a favourite DVD for older kids. Lots of new faces and travel can be tiring and overwhelming. You may be fussy about screen time at home, but a spot of Wiggles during a dinner your folks have organised may get you through.

7. Pick an outing you all enjoy and repeat. There is a family restaurant and a park my kids go to with my parents and they look forward to going each time they visit – its creating some lovely shared experiences.

8. Look on ebay. If you parents don’t have much in the way of kid activities at their home, look on ebay using your parents postcode. You may find something close to them they can pick up and have ready to play. We got some great push bikes and scooters for my parents farm for $5.

9. Pack wisely. Sounds silly really but it’s so hard to do. Pack so the kids have ample underwear and fewer outfits (things that can be worn a couple of times – this gets easier as the kids get older and less grubby). I used to like taking “good” outfits for my kids (so they looked lovely and all) but in reality jeans and runners really do wash and wear easily. Lately I have been travelling in “nice” outfits that can also double for a special occasion if need be. I then keep it simple and they wear the same clothes home. And think about the climate and how comfortable you are likely to be. (My folks always warn me about how cold it is at their place in winter and to make sure we bring coats. In reality, we are living in a colder climate and tend to get warm at my parents house – even in winter! The coats don’t get worn and take up too much valuable packing space).

10. Don’t forget safety while you’re away, What is “safe” for some may not be for you. For instance, plan ahead for any carseats etc you may need. See if family may be able to borrow some gear from a friend or hire what you need. If the kids are travelling in family or friends cars, check that car seats etc have been installed correctly and straps are at the right heights. If you visit regularly, as we do, it may pay to purchase some car seats and leave them at your parents house. We have done this and keeps it simple for us.

So, you’ve saved up the cash, booked the time off and are ready to take the leap…have a great time and remember to take lots of photos!

Lets Go Walking – Walking Harnesses Explained

Its easy to look at a toddler walking harness and shrug and think “I would never use one”! Times have changed and so, thankfully, have walking harnesses. When we started our business, we found baby and toddler walking harnesses were one of the first products people were asking for. For that reason, we have grown to now have one of the widest variety of child walking harnesses you will find on the Australian market.

Why do travellers use a child walking harness?

Quite simply, a walking harness could be considered when;

parents are wary of taking their child into an unknown situation
parents are looking for a dual purpose item – something that can hold items while fitting the child comfortably
as a ‘piece of mind’ option for parents travelling alone with single or multiple kids
a parent is ill (or pregnant or with an elderly grandparent etc) and may not feel confident in bending to hold a child’s hand or being able to run after them if necessary
times when a parent doesn’t want to use a stroller, but are concerned about the environment the child will be walking in

We sold our first walking harness here at Little Gulliver back in 2008, giving us a clear understanding of why some families choose to use a toddler walking harness for travel. At the time, I had a lovely long phone conversation with a gorgeous British ex-pat mum. She was flying home to the UK (solo) with her newborn and toddler and had concerns about her 2 connecting flights. For a trip like this she felt a walking harness was a necessity – as she had to go through customs and security and felt their would be times she would have to take her eyes off the kids – piece of mind while away from home.

Where did walking harnesses originate?

I’ve always enjoyed reading how things originated. One of my favourites is the recent invention of “blue” for boys and “pink” for girls (did you know the boys colour used to be pink)? I also find the use of walking harnesses for children fascinating. I assumed they came about during this century, characteristic of a society where adults are becoming increasingly wary of kids and their environment (“don’t play in the dirt” etc). But no, surprisingly, according to this research, they have been around for centuries! Check out the article Children’s Walking Harnesses / Reins. It seems they were very popular in London in the 17th century when the city became busier, more dangerous and crowded with horses and carts and the like.

What style of walking harness is available?

Wrist to wrist

If you’re not sure if you want or need a harness, maybe try a wrist buddy. Small enough to sit in your pocket. It is a slightly

Moose Noose toddler harness by Moose Baby

elastic harness which uses velcro to secure to the child’s wrist and has an end loop which can be held by the parent. Manufactured by Dreambaby, our friends at Travel With Tots did a great review here.

The Moose Noose is very popular. While its not subtle in its look, kids love the red colour and bendy cord. Depending on which side of the 80’s you were born, you could liken the cord to an old-style telephone cord. Its very secure and robust in its make. It attaches to parent and child via a velcro wrist band.

Walking and Sitting

dreambaby safety harness and reins — Dreambaby Safety Harness and Reins

The Dreambaby option is a basic chest harness with a loop style harness strap, which can also be fitted to a chair. It is small, so can be easily packed and has a more traditional style harness “look” to it.

Backpack with Removable Rein

Goldbug 2-in-1 Harness Buddy

The original Goldbug harness buddy is a classic and a lovable furry friend, popular the world over. It is worn like a backpack, with 2 chest clips for comfort and stability while wearing. There is a small pouch in the backpack (the size and shape of this varies depending on which style you choose). The “harness” is detachable, so the child can wear the harness buddy, with the harness strap stored in the pouch in case it is needed.

Another cute feature is that the buddy is facing the child’s back, so its kind of “piggy backing” the child, not looking behind them. Too cute!

Skip Hop Mini Backpack with Rein

Another recognisable friend (that you may not have realised is a child walking harness) is the Skip Hop mini backpack with reins. It has a single chest clip for the child’s comfort and stability and a detachable rein. It also has a write on name tag inside and a side pocket for a small storage such as a drink bottle. It has all the features of a normal backpack – just in a mini size. The detachable walking harness has sturdy metal hardware.

We are constantly updating our range. So check back in store again soon to see the latest in walking harnesses at Little Gulliver – Australia’s unique Kids Travel Store

Whenever and where-ever you need an “extension of holding hands”, Little Gulliver has a specialised range of child walking harnesses to choose from and we’re always happy to help.

Kids and Adult Headphones and Earphones review

With kids now focused on technology from a young age, it is not long before we start wanting them to don a comfortable and quiet pair of headphones!

For the kids, some experience with using headphones is also handy before commencing a long car or plane trip, when movies, games and music may be readily available. Yes, we have experienced those moments when words like “please watch another movie kids” or “why don’t you play more angry birds?” have been uttered. Knowing how to use a good set of headphones and ensuring comfort levels prior to the trip is a useful piece of advice.

Little Gulliver continues to add to our range of child friendly headphones and earphones. We offer volume limited, noise isolating and full volume headphones and earphones suiting all ages (from Ages 3+) and design styles.

MOKI (formerly Moshi) Volume Limited KIDS Headphones

The Little Gulliver (test!) kids use volume limited Moki kids headphones around our home. They have also used them in the car on long trips (Melb to central NSW) using entertainment devices. At ages 4, 5& 6, the kids loved them and we do too as the headphones have withstood quite a bit of rough use!

We’ve received a small amount of feedback that because of background noise in certain cars and planes the volume restricted headphones can be a little too low, however, we’ve not personally found this to be the case. If choosing a set of headphones specifically for plane or car travel please just bear this in mind. We’ve been told the volume limited aspect may be affected by where you are sitting on a plane (closer to engines etc) and the type of plane.

Features

a single cable down the left of the unit makes them easy to put on and off, with an ideal length of 1.2m
they adjust by a sliding movement on the headpiece
the volume restriction means that you can safely let you kids manage their entertainment without worry
though they are designed for kids, they would easily fit an adult
obviously I love these headphones and, coming in a range of bright colours, I think they are the ideal 1st headphone

MOSHI Volume Limited Headphones

These headphones have a different look to the kids style, but could certainly be worn by kids – the volume limited technology is the same as in the Moshi Kids headphones. The design however, is more adult-like (maybe even a little cooler!) and in the way they are adjusted on the head (with the padded headpiece adjusted by sliding a chrome adjuster up or down).

Popular with teenagers who are likely to use headphones regularly for their music and gaming interests – they are able to keep the volume at a consistently safe level.

Features

padded headpiece and cups, have a great look for adults
single cord lessens tangles
while can adjust to a child, will also fit a larger adult size

MOSHI Pro Noise Isolating Earphones

These earphones give a full volume sound, while taking away noisy backgrounds. They can be used for ages 5+.

For younger kids I would recommend headphones above earphones, some kids seem to prefer them as they can be more comfortable than placing the buds in the ear. Check with your kids though – we gave ours a choice and 3/3 choose headphones. I thought the earphones would be easier to look after and was surprised the kids were so assertive about what they wanted!

These pro noise isolating earphones are stylishly designed. They have an alloy housing and an anodized surface, so don’t have the plastic look of many earphones on the market, being a good quality piece. The high frequency response and the soft silicone ear-buds provide superb sound reproduction, whilst reducing the influence of surrounding ambient noise. I would say these are great quality for anyone looking to upgrade earphones for their smartphone / ipod or general travel use. Being noise isolating, they are ideal in busy noisy background environments like planes and trains.

Features

They have a 1.4m cable
silicone ear buds for long use comfort
great for everyday use, taking up little space
includes 3 sized silicon earpieces

MOSHI Volume Limited KIDS Earphones
Earphones can be a good option for kids who don’t like to have things pulled over their head. This set from Moshi are specially designed for kids, fitting safely in the ear and have the volume limited feature. Because they take up little space, earphones can also be a convenient option. They readily find a spot in a handbag, backpack or carry on luggage.

Our kids were given a choice of the Moshi volume limited head and ear phones and all 3 chose the headphones – so perhaps the headphones are considered more stylish/more exciting by the small folk? Some kids love the earphones, it seems to be a very personalised decision for each of the young users!

These earphones also differ from others in that they don’t have a silicon earpiece, which is a design feature specifically for young wearers.

Features

designed to be worn safely – cannot be forced into the ear canal
specially made for kids aged 3+
small, so easy to carry and have on hand
volume limited

Moki Poppers Headphones

The Moki Poppers are a favourite around the office amongst young and old(er) users!

Great designs, comfy ear cups, padded headband, full volume capacity and solid construction mean our test units have been pumping out the sound for a long time now.

Excellent sound range and bass at a great everyday low price. Huge range to choose from – Sparkles, Rockstar, Claw (!), Purple Dino, Monster Truck, Hearts, Martians and more.

There is a Pop, Pop, Popper for everyone… Full range is here

Funkyfonic’s Headphones

The funkyfonic’s are a full volume headphone with cute colours and designs. Ideal for kids (or adults) wanting a funky look, with no need for limiting volume. These headphones do have a cable from each earpiece (unlike the Moki single cord design).

Features

recommended for 6+ to adult
the headpiece folds, so can be compact for travel
the earcup flips, therefore a parent can check noise level without removing the headphones from the child

Styles available

ladybug, skull, frog, owl

DCI Earphones

From the maker of Funkyfonic’s, the crocodile and owl options are simply adorable! And certainly earphones are a compact option for travel, easily finding a home in a small space. These are a full volume earphone.

Features

comes with 2 sets for silicone tips in 2 sizes; standard for adults and small for kids 6+
kids will love the designs – fancy a crocodile head coming out of one ear and a tail out of the other?

Pom Pom Earphones

A cute and fluffy earphone option. The pom pom earphones come in four squishy colours are a full volume earphone.

Features

come with 3 size silicon ear tips to fit ear sizes from ages 6, small adult and adult.
colours available: pink, light pink, white, purple

Moshi Neon Headphones

Great headphones for everyday use. They are full volume headphones with a stylish look. I personally think they are the best looking headphones we have! They were popular last Christmas with customers grabbing them for tweens upwards. The colour looks great with ipods and iphones.

Features

4+ to adult
easily adjustable
comfort and style – if you’re not looking for a volume limited feature
dome style holds firm, while still comfortable on the ear

***

We’ll be continually updating our range. Please let us know about your experiences using your headphones and earphones – what you like/dislike how is the sound for you? Who have you bought them for? What would you recommend?

Check out our full range of electronics at Little Gulliver Play / Electronics today!

Vapur – perfect for summer!

Part of this post has been supplied by the good people at Vapur “the official sponsors of summer!”

As we’re all aware, this Summer has been a scorcher! With temperatures reaching 45°C…the only thing that can really save you is WATER (and Slip, Slop, Slapping of course!)

Before you find yourself hiding indoors under the air-conditioner, Vapur offers a handy preparation list to make the most of your day at the beach!
Make sure you have everything in store on the ‘Vapur Beach Bag List’ to stay hydrated.Here are some must-haves for your beach bag on our ‘Vapur Beach Bag List’. Don’t worry! there is a little something for everyone in the family!

The night before, fill up and freeze an Anti-Bottle for everyone in the family. This way, you won’t be drinking warm water after an hour out in the sun! A great bottle for Mum and Dad is the Vapur Element .7 and 1L bottle. The Vapur Element range is larger in capacity, so you won’t need to refill as often. After all, it’s not always easy getting to a water station!

If you are a light packer, try the Vapur Reflex range – the original Anti-Bottle available in fantastic, bright Summery colours with one of the colours sure to match your boardies, bag or even your bikini!

Keep the kids happy on a hot Summer’s day – make sure you pack their favourite character of the NEW Kids Quenchers! Bo, Lolli, Fuse & Splash are the perfect beach companion! Kids Quenchers have a .4L capacity. Characters are created with 3M stickers that won’t peel off in water or sand or… even in the Dishwasher!

Lastly, don’t forget sunscreen, a wide-brim hat and a lunchbox full of snacks! ? Then it’s Surfs Up!

New Christmas books on the Little Gulliver book shelf

We love children’s books here at Little Gulliver and believe that books are an important part of a child’s daily routine. We extend this routine into our travel with kids and have therefore integrated some of our favourites into our on-line stores ‘Book Shelf’.

As parents we give our children a new Christmas book each year on Christmas Eve. That way we are able to open a present and read something new (in the midst of our excitement of waiting for Santa)! The kids Christmas books sit on a shelf in our bookcase the rest of the year and come out again December 1st when when we decorate our Christmas tree. Its become a lovely tradition and we are getting a lovely book collection!

If you are looking for a Christmas book for your children or for a Christmas gift, here’s our selection of Christmas books for 2012. All are in stock and available now (double click on any of the books to be taken to it in store).

For young children

Some more in the classic Usborne “That’s not my…” series. ‘That’s not my reindeer’ and ‘That’s not my Santa’ are two festive board books with lots of pictures for kids to touch and feel. A lovely series of books from 0+

A delightful touchy-feely book with simple, repetitive text.
Bright, colourful illustrations with textures to touch and feel on every page.
Helps very young children develop language and sensory skills.
Series awarded “Best Buy” by readers of Prima magazine.
A perfect gift for young children.

I’d recommend either of these as the ideal babys 1st Christmas book and for any fans of the ‘That’s not my…” series from Usborne Beautiful quality and robust enough even for the most active toddlers! ‘That’s not my reindeer’ and ‘That’s not my Santa’ both in stock.

The Christmas Star

This gift book uses changing pictures to tell the story of the first Christmas “from the point of view of a special star who has an important role to play”.

The book has pictures (as can be seen on the cover if you look closely) that turn as you lift the page and others that move as you lift a flap. Its lovely and interactive, while telling the story of the first Christmas. The illustrations are traditional and beautifully drawn.

It is a good quality, hard cover, Christmas keepsake and would make a lovely gift for children of all ages.

A Classic Christmas Treasury – Carols and Stories

This is a classic family Christmas book.

It is full of a lovely assortment of Christmas pictures and stories, while introducing the traditions of Christmas to the young (and reminding mum and dad of some too)! It begins with the very first Christmas, tells us how the Christmas tree came about and why is mistletoe a Christmas tradition? Lovely Christmas carols are listed throughout, such as ‘O’Come all ye faithful’. The book finishes with everyone’s favourite, ”twas the night before Christmas’ and (spoiler alert) finishes with a pop up Christmas tree and the words “Happy Christmas to all and to all a goodnight.”

~ Just a reminder that we post twice daily ~ Orders made before 3.30pm leave same day ~ Express/overnight options are available to metropolitan areas within Australia ~ Last day for posting prior to Christmas is Friday 21st December ~ And why not take advantage of our flat postage rate ~ pick up all your kids travel items for the one low postage rate ($6.95 regular delivery) ~ Any questions? Give us a call 03 98246770 business hours or email sales@littlegulliver.com.au any time ~

Take care and have a marvellous Christmas!

Donna, Ben & the team at Little Gulliver

Make your own Travel Journal

I’ve always loved a good travel journal.

It may be genetic as my Grandma travelled with a journal everywhere she went and recorded every detail. As a child, she also gave me my very own travel journal for our first big family trip. I was quite little and the family went on a wonderful camping trip to Uluru. Its lovely to read back on, apparently I was quite impressed with a box of Smarties given to me in Alice Springs (the little things)!

If you like to be a bit crafty, there are some great printable and free options online to make your own kids travel journal. Its a lovely activity to get the little ones excited about the trip and help them understand there will be times when you’re away for “quiet play time.” And that this quiet time may be during a long plane or car trip when they really don’t feel like sitting still! Voilà – time for the travel journal.

One thing about making your own journal is that you can tailor them to individual personalities and locations; post questions for them to answer or pictures for them to colour throughout. Its a great way to encourage a little creative writing or drawing practice, which can be tailor made for your trip.

Here’s some favourites;

Blue’s Travel Book

Diego’s Field Journal

Dino Dan Field Guide Scrapbook

Disney Kids Travel Journal

Dora’s Family Vacation Travel Book

Dora’s Travel Journal

Journals for Kids / Travel Journal

If all this looks like too much work (on top of the packing and organising you have to do for your trip) don’t despair, Little Gulliver has a great range of travel journals for all travellers.

Click for Little Gulliver Travel Diaries & Journals range.

Featured: Tray Kit Travel Journal

The gorgeous TrayKits can now be complimented with a matching Travel Journal. Great even on its own, the Travel Journal comes with a fold out wallet, activity Book, 40 stickers, 6 coloured pencils, a rubber, pencil sharpener and ink stamp. And don’t forget to trace your footsteps on the fold-out world map!

Pink star and blue stripe available…

10 Things You Must Know Before You Travel with a Toddler

10 Things You Must Know Before You Travel with a Toddler

Travelling can be a unique challenge no matter what the age of the individuals in your party, so proper preparation is critical. When travelling with a small child, in particular, there are several things you should keep in mind before you leave. This will help ensure that your journey is safe and pleasant for both you and your toddler.

1. Allow plenty of extra time for all stages of your trip if you are travelling with a toddler. You will need more time to make stopovers and connections with a child, and driving will take longer due to the extra toilet breaks and other assistance your child needs. Also remember to pack a few toys and a couple of games.

2. If you are travelling with several family members, it is important to talk about a few things before you begin your trip. For example, it would be wise to discuss how the chores will be divided during the trip, as well as how you are going to balance being with the children and being apart from them. It may also be helpful to discuss how miscellaneous travel bills are going to be handled.

3. Purchase a bracelet for your child that includes contact phone numbers and a home address. This is important just in case your group becomes separated; even though you never think it could happen to you, accidents do occur all of the time. It is better to be prepared.

4. If your toddler has any allergies or disabilities, add any relevant information about them to a medical alert bracelet or disposable wrist band. This could be a lifesaver if you somehow become accidentally separated from your child.

5. If your finances are tight, look into the possibility of swapping homes with another family. The recent economic downturn has drastically increased the popularity of this trend, with many different websites now available to help you form home swapping opportunities. Individuals all over the world participate in home swapping arrangements, which can save both parties a significant amount of money – and can provide a much more comfortable environment than a hotel if you travel with a toddler.

6. If you do choose to stay in a hotel, research it thoroughly ahead of time. Small amenities like free continental breakfasts and indoor swimming pools can make your trip much more convenient and enjoyable for both you and your toddler. Of course, you should check that the hotel in which you plan to stay allows children, since some are limited to adults.

7. If you will need babysitting services at your destination, make sure you locate and secure a reputable child care center well in advance in your trip. If possible, ask friends or acquaintances near your destination for recommendations, since it can be difficult to pick a high-quality facility based solely on a website.toddler. Of course, you should check that the hotel in which you plan to stay allows children, since some are limited to adults.

8. If you will require any unique products for your toddler, like a trundle bed or gluten-free meals, make sure you contact the hotels and restaurants you will visit ahead of time to ensure that they will be able to meet your needs. You may like to take a travel bed with you, such as an Inflatable Ready bed or fold out Regalo Child Bed.

9. If possible, take your child to the doctor before you begin the trip to ensure that he is healthy and has all necessary medications and inoculations. This is especially important if you will be traveling abroad, but it is wise before any trip since your child will be more vulnerable to germs to which his immune system has not yet had the chance to develop a resistance.

10. Before you leave, talk to your child about the trip, where you are going and what you will be doing together. Children enjoy being involved in activities with their parents, plus this can help prevent them from becoming nervous about the trip.

5 ways to light up your holiday

Whenever we’re travelling with our kids we tend to end up in the dark! Something about holidays makes you tend to relax, stay out a bit later and venture into theme parks and places with ‘dark’ spots. That’s why we’ve introduced so many great ways to light up your kids, your belongings, their belongings and even your accommodation during your next holiday.

Here’s some suggestions from our ‘Light it up‘ category;

: Glow Stick Bracelets 5 pack

1. Glow Bracelets;

Our kids had to best time lighting up their triple bunk, on a recent holiday, with their glow bracelets. Our eldest (proud top bunk occupant) was very impressed that it meant he could easily navigate the steps in the dark if he had to go to the toilet. The connectors mean they are easy to join together to make a bigger glow necklace or join onto backpacks and strollers (or bunk steps)! etc.

Glow Light with Carabiner: Glow Light with Carabiner

2. Smart Glow Light;

We’ve also introduced glow lights with handy carabineer clips. The clips can be used on your own gear and also attach neatly to our 3-in-1 Lanyard. Effectively you can light up anything you like!

The picture shows them in blue, but they also come in pink, red and green. They come in a pack of 1 and have an extra long life of 8 – 10 hours.

: BOING Magic Light Ball

BOING Magic Light Balls;

If you find yourself at concerts and amusement parks and the kids want to buy every flashy, sparkly souvenir there is, then the Magic Boing Light may be for you. What I love about it is the batteries are replaceable (though it comes with some to start you off). It has its own lanyard and you simply squeeze to change the colours.

Wear it, drape it, play with it and light up those dim spots!

: Swivel Night Light

4. Swivel Night Light;

And for apartments and motels the handy night light is a must-pack for us. Little Gulliver range 2 different styles. This one is directional, meaning you can swivel it to face any direction you like. Face it away from sleeping children or towards a midnight nappy change.

You never know where a power point is going to be located and this night light lets you limit or increase the light a little, based on where its located. You can turn the direction of the light to face toward or away from the kids if you like. And it has an auto sensor!

5. Auto Sensor LED Night Light;

We like smart things! This light also switches on when its dark and off when its light.

Its a good, small size LED which gives plenty of light to a child or parent in an unfamiliar night environment. We always travel with this night light. It is always handy somewhere – a hallway (navigate the way to a bathroom) or light up an unfamilar bedroom.

Venturing through aquariums and museums – you can be in broad day light and all is well. Then, the next display is in the pitch dark, just as the baby cries in the stroller and the toddler runs…where is everyone? We hope you enjoy our ‘Light it up’ range. More to come soon.

Colour the Nativity Scene

With Christmas concerts coming up, talk of the Nativity has become a common occurance at our place. Our daughter is very excited to be playing ‘Mary’ and is taking every opportunity to tell everyone about this. We have also found she is a bit of a method actor, testing various dolls for ‘baby Jesus’ worthiness and practicing her scene (picking up the baby Jesus).

I was suprised to see so many Nativity Scene colouring pages available. These are free to print out, so if you’re like us and very interested in the wise men, the star and such – lay out some pencils and print out some colouring pages. Fun!

Nativity Scene Colouring Pages